Consistency of Academic Performance in Higher Education: A Study of an Irish Business Degree Programme

This study examines the level of consistency of the academic performance of business students, both as a whole and within two fields of study- accounting and human resource management (HRM). The examination results of 177 students are ranked at different stages and compared with the rank of final year exam results. By utilising Spearman\u27s (1 904) coefficient of rank order correlations rather than absolute marks, this paper hopes to facilitate the process of comparison. The research found that the level of consistency increases substantially once students enter the degree irrespective of their field of study